In Ghana, 3.2 million tons of food are lost annually as drought threatens people’s livelihoods. In a study report released recently by the Accra-based non-governmental organization Food for All Africa, food waste costs the West African country an estimated 762.32 billion Ghanaian cedis ($64.6 billion).
The report, which focuses on improving food systems and protecting the environment, was produced in partnership with the Food Law and Policy Clinic (FLPC) at Harvard Law School and the Global Food Bank Network (GFN), based in the United States of America.
The organizations also call for concrete measures to preserve food resources. “The government should develop fiscal guidelines for food recovery organizations, standardize date labels, and require manufacturers or retailers to use only one of the two prescribed to ensure that confusion does not result in the disposal of food that is safe to eat, sell, or share,” the report states.
Preventing food insecurity
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is currently conducting an online campaign to raise awareness of resource conservation among actors in the food supply chain, particularly in Africa. This initiative in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) will contribute to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG 12) on sustainable production and consumption.
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Meanwhile, a consortium of investors formed by African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM), Bauta Logistics and Mokobela Shakati recently established a $150 million investment fund. This platform will invest in cold chain food preservation infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa. The initiative will eventually reduce food waste in several countries in the region.
Benoit-Ivan Wansi